John a



(NoMbdeL) E v J; A. OWENS.-

REVERSIBLE LATCH. Y

" Pat No. 244,477; ented- July 19,1881.

O s Z Z I UNITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. OWENS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

REVERSIBLE LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,47'7,'dated July 19, 1881.

' Application filed April 12,1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. OWENS,- a citiof the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reversible Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in reversible latch-bolts for door-locks, which will first be described, and then designated in the claim.

Figure l is a view of the works of a mortise-lock, with the door in section. Fig. 2 is a partial view of same look, showing manner of reversing the latch-bolt. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sliding plate. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the lever which actuates the latch-bolt. Fig. 5 is a reverse-side view of the lever, Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the improved parts applied to a rim-look.

The letter a represents the hub for the knobspindle, and is-provided,as usual, with lugs to actuate the yoke b, which latter is provided with a lug, 0, against which the lever or bar d bears. The upper end of the lever is piv oted to a plate, 6, and the lower end is provided on one side with two projections, f, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. These projections fit over the spindle part gof the latch-bolt, while the part 11 of the lever has its opposite edges formed semicircular, so as to permit of the sliding movement of the latch-bolt and yet avoid loss of motion or play between the shoulders l of the latch-bolt. By this construction the latch-bolt may be thrust out and then turned, or its position reversed, in the ordinary manner.

The plate 6 is preferably wedge-shaped. When in position the upper edge bears against the rim of the look-case and the lower edge slides on the slanting ledge 70, secured to the side of the case in the upper front corner. By

means of this construction the plate 0 is adapted to shift position in a lateral direction, and also to be lowered, thus permitting the lower end of the lever d to swing nearer to the front edge of the case,-as seen in Fig. 2, thus allowing of the withdrawal of the square partn of the latch-bolt to reverse it. In this manner the latch-bolt may be adjusted to suit a door openin g either to the right or left, and the lock is then secured in its position, if a mortiselock, as shown in Fig. 1, the plate 0 in this case being provided with an upward projectin g thumb-piece, p, which extends through a slot, q, in the upper rim of the case and rests against the front edge of the lock, and is embedded vin the edge of the door H. The plate 0 will of course be retained in this position 'as long as the lock remains secured to the door. In the case of a rim-lock the plate 6 is provided with a hole, 1*, which, when the plate is in position, coincides with the usual screwhole in the corner of the lock-case. It will be seen that by passing the screw which secures the look through the hole 1' the plate 0 will be held immovable.

The spring 8 bears against the lever 01 at a point between that at which the logo of the yoke draws and the upper pivoted end, and keeps the latch-bolt shot. The retraction of the latch by the knob is effected by the lug c of the yoke drawing against lever d at a point midway between its upper pivoted end and the latch-bolt; but as the latter is connected with the lever at its' extremity it has the advantage over the knob of all the leverage, and thereby it easily retracts the spring 8 when the door is pushed shut, rendering it certain to catch.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- In a reversible latch, the combination of a latch-bolt having a spindle part, g, a slanting ledge, 70, a plate, 6, to slide laterally on the slanting ledge, a lever, cl, having its upper end pivoted to the sliding plate and its lower end'provided with two projections, f, to fit over the spindle of the latch-bolt, and the opposite edges between the projections formed semicircular, and ayoke, b, provided with a lug to draw against thelever, as set forth.

In testimony whereof-I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, JOHNA. OWENS. Witnesses:

Guns. B. MANN, Jim. T. MAnnox. 

